


Purple Reds Beneath all the Greys (Come back to me)

by rinoahyuna



Category: Arashi (Band)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Aozora Pedal AU, Fanfiction, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-08
Updated: 2017-07-08
Packaged: 2018-11-29 11:12:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,158
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11439657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rinoahyuna/pseuds/rinoahyuna
Summary: Aozora Pedal AU. He’d wanted to give Sho the chance to be with someone he could be happy with, someone he could proudly show off to his parents, to his family, without being judged. A woman, like Mika-chan, who liked Sho enough to follow him around, to confess even though she wasn’t certain he’d return her feelings.Someone that wasn’t Jun.





	Purple Reds Beneath all the Greys (Come back to me)

**Author's Note:**

> Got bullied by the alter ego again. I hate you <3
> 
> This is for all you Sakumoto shippers XD

  
Jun didn’t mean to decide on the spot, he really didn’t, but he took one look at the place and his brain just sort of did the work for him right then and there.  
   
“I think we found the perfect place, guys.”  
   
Ohno and Nino and Aiba all jumped from the back of the truck and barricaded the door like a bunch of curious children, racing towards the door and shoving at each other like overexcited pups. Sho took his time walking, but Jun already saw him surveying the location from the outside with a thoughtful look on his face.  
   
Sho paused on the doorway; Jun realized he was bracing himself for the oncoming comment before he could even stop himself.  
   
“Place needs to be redecorated,” said Nino from where he was pressed against Ohno’s back, chin digging into Ohno’s shoulder. Ohno seemed like he didn’t even realize Nino was there. “Sure we have enough budget for that?”  
   
“It’s not that big, though,” Ohno said after a brief pause; Jun saw Aiba nodding his agreement there. “I think we can work it out.”  
   
Jun remained quiet, as Sho walked towards the door to check the place himself. It wasn’t like he could decide on this alone because of course, he couldn’t, all five of them were in this together, and well, if the others said they didn’t like it, then there was nothing he could do but agree.  
   
“Paint instead of wallpapers,” Sho announced before Jun could even try and come up with few obvious reasons to why they should take this place instead, “think that would be cheaper. Right?”  
   
“Definitely,” Ohno said, wriggling his occupied shoulder lightly. Nino simply scoffed and jabbed his left hand to Ohno’s ribs.  
   
“You’ll paint?” Nino asked just as Jun chanced a glance at Sho and realized Sho was looking.  
   
“All of us will, right Sho-kun? Aiba-chan?” Aiba simply thumped Ohno on the back and giggled away.  
   
Sho nodded, smiled like he meant it and turned to Jun. “Jun can pick the colors,” he said, much to Jun’s surprise. Nino whined overdramatically but Jun simply ignored him.  
   
Jun released the breath he realized he was holding, smiling back at Sho in quiet relief.  
   
   
++  
   
He wasn’t supposed to invite them over, but Jun figured he should. There were lots of work to be done and they would need all the help they could get.  
   
“But do you really have to invite  _her_ , too?” Nino pointed out, jerking his thumb over Mika-chan.  
   
Jun shrugged. It wasn’t like he meant to tease her when he’d asked for their help, knowing she liked Sho and – well, maybe it wasn’t his brightest idea ever, but, whatever. He was just being practical. And if she really didn’t want to come along, she could have told Jun straight when he asked. She could have said no.  
   
But she didn’t.  
   
“Of course, she wouldn’t,” Nino grunted when Jun told him the same thing. “of course, she would grab all the chance she could get to be with Sho-chan. Don’t you realize that?”  
   
“I don’t see anything wrong with it,” Jun said this with his eyes lowered to the ground.  
   
“You really mean that?” Nino asked. It took Jun a while to finally gather the courage to nod his head in answer.  
   
“Of course,” he said, meaning it, because, why wouldn’t he? It wasn’t like he had the right to filter Sho’s admirers for him, and even if he did, why in hell would he do that?  
   
Sho was his friend, Mika-chan, too, so if they ended up dating each other, he should be glad.  
   
 _Right?_  
   
Nino chuckled, mirthless and unamused. Jun wondered if he had said something wrong.  
   
“Right, okay. Whatever.” Nino said, leaving him behind to pester Aiba and Ohno instead.  
   
   
++  
   
“We can unload the rest of the boxes now,” Sho said, pointing at said boxes gingerly. Jun nodded, vaguely paying attention to the others doing the same without prompting.  
   
He watched, amused at the way Aiba and Ohno were doing all the work while Nino sat on the couch earlier, telling them what to do. The ladies thought it was funny, but to them, it wasn’t entirely so. He saw the way Nino’s movements had slowed after the third box he’d carried inside, saw the way Ohno had migrated to Nino’s side the second Nino stilled, rooting himself on the spot.  
   
“Anything else you need, Master Ninomiya?” he asked, only half-teasing, brushing sweat off his forehead as he grinned at Nino.  
   
Nino had long made himself comfortable into the back of the pickup truck, sitting on a cushion Ohno handed him when he said he’d rather sit there to make sure they’re not slacking.  
   
“A glass of cranberry juice, if you please,” Nino said, airily; “but water is fine if you don’t have it. As I’m sure you don’t, you bunch of lowly peasants.”  
   
“I’ll kick his whiny ass, I swear,” Sho muttered, and it was only then Jun realized that Sho was around, “he’s lucky we know he’s just an old man with an aching back or we’ve already thrown him out because of his big mouth.”  
   
Jun tried not to think about the fact that Sho was close, busying himself with unpacking the contents of the box he’d carried inside, while muttering something about making sure the shelves were cleaned before they put everything in.  
   
“We’re going to finish everything today, yeah?” Sho asked, tapping Jun’s shoulder lightly to get his attention.  
   
It wasn’t like he ever really lost it, Jun mused to himself, because even though Jun was staring somewhere else, at something else, and doing something else, so long as Sho was there, he would have Jun’s undivided attention, no questions asked.  
   
Still, Jun felt it was only fitting to acknowledged that with a nod.  
   
“As long as those other three would stop goofing around, we’re good.”  
   
Sho seemed to consider this for a moment and laughed, low and soft, as he’d only meant it for Jun.  
   
“Do your best, then.” Sho said, thumping him lightly on the shoulder.  
   
Jun simply rolled his eyes heavenwards in answer, fingers shaking, chastising himself for acting like Mika-chan when he had no right to be.  
   
   
++  
   
Jun caught her staring.  
   
He supposed it was cute, that she liked Sho this much but he didn’t feel particularly indulging. He caught himself with that thought and suddenly felt bad for acting like a total jerk.  
   
“Can I someone throw me a towel, please? I’m drenched, ugh.” Sho then turned to the room in general.  
   
His hair was clinging to his temple, his sleeves rolled up, exposing his toned arm muscles and Jun wondered why he felt like Sho was showing too much skin. Next to him stood Mika-chan. She was staring up at Sho dreamily, and Jun didn’t know why he felt bad for her, or what even prompted him to give her a towel, grabbed the broom she was holding and gestured for her to hand the towel over he gave her to Sho.  
   
“Come on,” he said, nudging her. “He needs it, see?” she didn’t say anything, though Jun saw the way she contemplatively threw Sho a look, her fingers twitching against the fabric. She looked torn, uncertain but wistful; Jun wished he could do something for her, but in the end, he knew there was only so much he could do for her.  
   
When she took a step forward, finally, one of the girls there, Ruri-chan, did the deed herself and threw Sho his requested towel. Mika-chan stepped back as she saw this as if she had been burned, gaze shooting to the ground and looking sorely defeated.  
   
Jun sighed. He knew exactly how it felt, somehow.  
   
   
++  
   
The couch looked a little too big for his taste.  
   
Jun told Nino this as soon as he and Ohno dragged the thing inside and plopped down on it like a couple of exhausted day workers.  
   
“No, it isn’t,” Nino said, head lolling on Ohno’s lap. He looked too comfortable lounging there while Ohno was patting the cushions like he was checking them for their softness. “It’s perfect. Right, Oh-chan?”  
   
“Hmm,”  
   
“And the color looks worn out,” he added, ignoring Nino’s jibe. “It doesn’t go well with the place’s interior.”  
   
“You were the one who bought this, if I’m not mistaken,” Nino reminded him, apropos of nothing. “Or have you already forgotten?”  
   
Jun thought about it seriously. “Well –“  
   
“And I’m not going to let you waste any more money by ditching this couch in favor of buying another one. No way.”  
   
“I’m not saying I’m buying another one –“  
   
Nino waved a hand at him and apparently found someone else to back him up.  
   
“Sho-chan, Matsujun wants to throw out the couch!” Nino yelled, obviously faking it.  
   
“I didn’t say that –“ Jun returned, annoyed.  
   
“He said it’s ugly!”  
   
“I didn’t say that –“  
   
“He said –  _ouch_ , Oh-chan, did you just pinch my butt?“ Nino inquired, feigning shock. Ohno simply shook his head and raised his arms in mock surrender, but his eyes were lit with quiet mischief so Jun was certain Ohno must have really done it.  
   
“You did, didn’t you?”  
   
“I didn’t,” Ohno hummed, lips upturned; he was obviously lying.  
   
“You did!”  
   
“I didn’t,”  
   
Jun was entirely too grateful for the distraction, shaking his head and leaving them to it. He turned around and was well on his way to check what the girls and Aiba were up to when he bumped into Sho. He stumbled on his feet, almost losing his balance but Sho was thankfully there before he accidentally brained himself against the nearest counter, hands finding Jun’s hips to steady him.  
   
“Woah, careful there,” Sho said, voice soft and low. Jun felt the sound as it vibrated across his skin, making the hair at the back of his neck stand on end.  
   
He managed to at least back away without causing a scene, careful as he stepped away from Sho’s light grip.  
   
“Sorry,” he mumbled under his breath, sweat breaking across his temple.  
   
Sho chuckled and let him. “What are you even sorry for, you imp,” Sho said, reaching up and pinching Jun’s chin gently before Jun could twist away. It was surprising and equal-parts amusing. Jun did not understand it at all.  
   
He said nothing as he tiptoed out of the way, or at least tried to, but Sho’s hand finding its way around his elbow stopped Jun on his tracks.  
   
“Be careful when you walk out of there, yeah?” Sho said, lips upturned and eyes unknowingly dark. “There are dangerous craps everywhere. Aiba-chan said he’ll start cleaning up once he’s done with the boxes so –“  
   
“I’ll do it, Sho-san,” he said, cutting Sho off. “I’m done cleaning the glasses and the plates anyway. I’ll get right to it, don’t worry.” He said, smiled a little and tilted his head before he walked away.  
   
If Sho said anything, he wasn’t sure; he was too busy telling himself to calm down to even hear him.  
   
   
++  
   
There were paint everywhere – on Jun’s clothes and on his face, his friends’ faces, too. Everyone was laughing and he thought that maybe, this was good.  
   
They all stood behind Ohno who was still sprawled on his ass on the floor, paintbrush in his hand. Nino was saying something about putting on too much colors, but Jun couldn’t bring himself to focus on that now.  
   
Not when he could barely keep it together as it was, watching Sho and Mika-chan from the corner of his eyes as Sho threw a hand over Mika-chan’s shoulder and kept it there.  
   
Mika-chan looked shock for a moment, before her smile turned shy; Jun’s chest ached at the sight, his brain coming up with the truth before he could even say it.  
   
 _They look good together._  
   
Jun clenched his fist and averted his gaze, barely realizing Nino was staring at him, his forehead creased with worry.  
   
   
++  
   
“Stop hovering, Nino,” he commented as he shoved a piece of meat into his mouth. The camera was thankfully out of Nino’s hands now, but that also meant Nino had nothing to entertain himself with anymore.  
   
That was probably why he was here, and had decided to bother Jun instead.  
   
“Seriously, I can feel you breathing down my neck. Quit it.”  
   
Nino chuckled, but even that sounded forced, faked. Jun looked up to find the same worried look written all over Nino’s face, his lips curled into an unamused tilt. It made Jun feel rather uneasy.  
   
“You’re not eating,” Nino said, completely off topic. Jun frowned and pointed at his plate in answer.  
   
“I see that,” Nino returned, “but you’ve barely touched it. What’s wrong?”  
   
Jun sighed. “Nothing. I’m sure I’ll be able to eat properly if you’d just leave me alone. So, go away. Let the man eat his food in peace, please.”  
   
“I will if you tell me what’s bothering you,” Nino said, obviously pushing it. Jun rolled his eyes in answer.  
   
“Nothing’s bothering me,” Jun said, “Go away.”  
   
Nino didn’t; instead, he took a seat next to Jun and prepared to be an even more of a terrible nuisance as he made himself comfortable there. Jun wanted to shove him off but he’s not that heartless.  
   
“You’re not scary at all,” Nino said, “and normally, you are. So, what happened and who do I have to kill this time around?”  
   
Jun chuckled, half-amused, half-annoyed. “There’s nothing to tell. Stop psycho-analyzing me, you creep. Go bother someone else. I won’t be able to finish my lunch if you’re here and you keep on telling me shit.” He said, smiling a little.  
   
“Is it because of Sho-chan?” Nino prodded as Jun stared at the half-cooked sausage on his plate. “Oh my god, it is.” Nino exclaimed, with feelings.  
   
Jun felt like hitting him, but he ended up sighing heavily instead.  
   
“Keep your voice down, stupid.”  
   
“Fine,”  
   
Jun gave Nino a look. “And stop talking to me.”  
   
Nino rolled his eyes. “You know that’s not healthy, right?” Nino said, “Keeping everything bottled inside like that will drive you insane one day. Don’t wait for that day.”  
   
“I don’t even know what you’re talking about,” Jun said, shaking his head. Nino could be awfully cryptic sometimes but even then Jun knew Nino meant well. He just didn’t feel like acknowledging everything Nino’s been patiently shoving into his face for days now, and he probably wouldn’t, ever.  
   
He was just too tired on keeping a lid on everything when things were obviously spilling over because of its abundance. His affection, his feelings, his misery – they’re all tripping over each other that it was difficult to pretend they weren’t there.  
   
“Jun-kun –“  
   
Jun held out a hand, palm spread in front of Nino’s face and cutting Nino off.  
   
“I know,” he said; he figured if he gave Nino the answer he needed, he’d stop bothering Jun as much.  
   
“But there’s nothing I can do about it so I  _won’t_. Don’t make me think about it anymore because it’s giving me enough headache as it is. I’m trying to be the mature one here, okay? Don’t let me screw it up.”  
   
A beat, then, “And you think shoving him away to be with someone else  _isn’t_?” Nino asked, sounding exasperated. “Jun, I don’t think you’re –“  
   
“I know what you mean, Nino, and no, I do think I’m doing us both a favor here,” he said, biting his tongue a second too late. He’d said too much, and now he couldn’t take any of those back.  
   
He sighed. “T-There’s no us,” he said, completely going off-track and meaning it. He could say this now, just all of it, and then pretend he didn’t afterwards. It was easier that way.  
   
“There never has been, not after that day he told me we can’t,” he said, voice low and filled with uncertainty he didn’t know he still carry with him till this day.  
   
It was hard then, and it was still the same now. Jun knew  _what_ he wanted,  _who_  he wanted to be with then, and the fact hadn’t changed even after these past few months without him; and he knew Sho felt the same way for him, because Sho had showed him, had told him so. They’ve never been good at pretending about their feelings, after all, not with each other, and not when they have silly friends that supported them, cheered them on.  
   
“Did he say that?” Nino asked, his voice quiet.  
   
He shook his head. “Not with the same words, no,” he said, “but I get the gist of it, of course.”  
   
Nino chuckled. “You’re sure? Because if you ask me, I think you might have mistaken. You’re good at putting words into people’s mouth, after all.” Nino said, in a completely straight face.  
   
Jun scowled, feeling entirely justified for shoving Nino hard this time.  
   
“You jerk, of course I didn’t!” he mumbled. Though it did stop him on his tracks, made him pause, because, wait, what if Nino was right and he did just that and – “Fuck.” He cursed under his breath.  
   
Nino was quiet for a moment until Jun felt a hand landed on his shoulder and squeezed, warm and comforting.  
   
“I would say ‘I told you so’ but I guess you already know that, huh?”  
   
   
++  
   
   
The suggestion to celebrate had been decided upon half an hour before they realized they were going to be done early.  
   
The boxes have all been disposed of, the counters cleaned, the tables and chairs have been properly fixed by the time eight o’clock rolled in. Sho drove them off at the park, about a ten-minute drive from the café itself, Jun sitting in the front with Sho and the rest squeezing themselves on the back.  
   
Aiba and Ohno were the ones who took the box filled with firecrackers out from the pickup truck (it had been sitting there since morning), laid it out for them to choose. The girls were honestly thrilled, and Jun could say the same thing for himself.  
   
Ohno, Aiba and Nino, as usual, goofed around to entertain everyone, but it didn’t escape Jun that Mika-chan kept throwing glances over at Sho whenever she thought no one was looking.  
   
Ohno and Aiba used the last of the firecrackers, the girls cheering around as they watch; Jun realized Nino wasn’t on his usual place next to Ohno, but somehow migrated over to Sho, grabbing Sho’s arms and putting them around Nino’s waist as they both watch the fireworks with thoughtful looks on their faces.  
   
Jun wanted to be jealous but he couldn’t; it was Nino, after all, and for all the things Nino was, cheating with Ohno wasn’t one of them. It was just Nino’s nature to be touchy-feely when he felt like it, but only doing it with people he was comfortable with, people he liked enough to allow them to touch him return  
   
After that, Aiba suggested it was still too early to end their impromptu celebration and somehow managed to coerce them for a so-called ‘round two’, but with a twist.  
   
“The loser gets to buy the firecrackers using his own money,” Aiba said, already posing to throw his fist, as the rest of them did the same. “Okay, ready? Rock-paper-scissor!”  
   
Truthfully, Jun did expect Sho would lose, and when he did, it was honestly hilarious.  
   
Everyone made an overdramatic fuss about it, shoving Sho off into the direction of the path leading to that store down the road while Sho stomped and whined about it, but leaving at once. Jun turned and found Mika-chan staring, worrying her lower lip as the other girls were whispering things to her.  
   
Jun didn’t know what prompted him to do it but somehow, he found himself walking the rest of the way towards them, stopped next to Mika-chan and nudged her.  
   
“Go follow him,” he said, hoping he sounded sincere. He was, but not entirely; it was fucked up because his emotion was a mess but it didn’t mean that other people had to suffer too because of him.  
   
She looked down as the nudged her too. “Seriously, go. If you don’t tell him what you feel now, then when are you going to be able to do it? This is your chance. Go.”  
   
Their eyes catch and somehow, despite her obvious shyness, something about Jun’s words clicked. She smiled, then nodded, and then before Jun could say something else like  _‘no, come to think of it, you better not, just stay here’,_  she left, half-running to follow Sho.  
   
Jun stood there mentally cursing himself for being the world’s biggest idiot.  
   
   
++  
   
Somehow, when the two got back about an hour later, quiet and not talking, Jun knew something horrible had gone down.  
   
Mika-chan looked like she’d spent the entire walk back crying, and Sho seemed like he’d rather not talk to any of them, if he could help it.  
   
The other girls immediately came to Mika-chan’s aid, comforting her the way only they knew how and Jun knew right then and there. She must have confessed, and Sho must have turned her down, judging with her reaction.  
   
Aiba, Nino and Ohno chose not to comment on the almost unbearable silence, simply throwing him and Sho a glance before going the opposite way to light up the firecrackers Sho brought with him.  
   
He found himself migrating to where Sho had seated himself, on the back of the pickup, with his legs crossed and his gaze directed elsewhere. It was pretty cold – he could feel the chilliness of the air as it blew past him, ruffling his hair lightly as he settled there, bending towards Sho with his forearms against the pickup.  
   
“Did something happen?” he asked; he probably shouldn’t, but he was at this point where he couldn’t care less whether he would end up pissing the last person he’d rather spend most of his days spoiling rotten instead.  
   
He had a rather complicated brain, so what? He’d dealt, and actually accepted that part of himself a long time ago, anyway.  
   
“I should ask you the same thing,” Sho said without meeting his gaze. Jun watched as Sho pursed his lips as if he wanted to say something but thought better of it, snapping his mouth shut instead.  
   
“Why would you do that?” he asked, confused. “And will you please look at me?”  
   
“I’d rather not,” Sho said, and it honestly made Jun tick. “I can’t fucking deal with you right now, really, so –“  
   
“Excuse me?”  
   
Sho twisted around to look at him, and Jun wondered what mistake he did. Sho looked like he was trying hard to keep his expression passive, but there was something in his eyes that gave his emotion away.  
   
“Go,” Sho said, “I can’t look at you right now. Just go. Leave me alone.”  
   
Jun clenched his fist, felt his anger rolled out of him in waves as he struggled to rein it in. He’d wanted to throw the first punch but at this point, he knew there was no use doing it.  
   
So, he didn’t.  
   
Instead, he gave Sho one long look and walked away.  
   
   
++  
   
He went back to the café, fuming. He unlocked the front door and shoved it open, let himself in and closed it behind him, leaning his back against it.  
   
He knew he had no right to feel this way, but somehow, it was hard not to. He didn’t know what Sho’s deal was, really, and it hurt to think that they’ve gotten at this point where they couldn’t stand each other anymore. He thought he knew everything there was to know about the other man but now, hearing the words Sho said and watching the expression on Sho’s face as Sho drove him away, he wondered if he knew Sho at all.  
   
And then there was Mika-chan. He honestly felt bad for her, for what he made her do that resulted to this mess. It was seriously heartbreaking, seeing the misery on her face when she let the girls hold her, her tears brought him pain so familiar he found himself rubbing the spot where it was aching fiercely, wishing he could ease it away.  
   
He couldn’t, but he could only try; the pain was doubling on its own with every second that ticked by and standing here alone, thinking, made him realize one thing. That despite the guilt, he felt relieved, and knowing that Sho had not reciprocated her feelings the same way he thought Sho would, honestly made him feel worse as a person.  
   
He loved Sho, and that was that. He did all those things because he knew there was no chance for him and Sho to be together, not anymore, so he figured he could at least do something for Sho, to make him happy. Even though it was slowly tearing him apart knowing that it could never be him.  
   
He’d wanted to give Sho the chance to be with someone he could be happy with, someone he could proudly show off to his parents, to his family, without being judged. A woman, like Mika-chan, who liked Sho enough to follow him around, to confess even though she wasn’t certain he’d return her feelings.  
   
Someone that wasn’t Jun.  
   
God, what had he done?  
   
“Jun, I know you’re there, open the door and let me in, please?” a voice called from outside and Jun startled, already knowing who it was.  
   
“Jun, I saw you went inside, so I know you’re there –“ Sho followed, voice trailing when Jun pulled the door open and kept it that way without meeting Sho’s gaze.  
   
“What are you doing here?” he snapped, his eyes on the ground, before shifting it to Sho’s feet. “I thought you said you don’t want to look at my face right now and that I should leave you alone –“ he said, his words halting into a stop when Sho pushed him inside and kicked the door behind them, before roughly reaching over to grab Jun by his shoulders and pushing Jun back against the door.  
   
“What –“  
   
“Shut up,” Sho said, fingers moving to Jun’s nape to steady him, his touch warm it was also familiar, leaning forward till they’re almost nose to nose and repeating the words mostly into Jun’s mouth with reverence.  
   
Jun shivered, fingers finding their way to Sho’s hip to steady himself as Sho leaned in, closer and closer still their proximity was making Jun’s head spin.  
   
“S-Sho-san –“  
   
Sho’s hand migrated to his cheek, mumbled a roughly, “Shut. Up.” Through tightly gritted teeth before his lips descended, catching Jun’s for a rough, almost punishing kiss.  
   
   
++  
   
“You’re so stupid, you know that?” Sho muttered in between kisses, fingers warm around the base of Jun’s skull. It was hot in all the places that count, almost too much so, but for all its worth, Jun didn’t mind it, not at all.  
   
Not when the reason he felt that way was because Sho was touching him, kissing him, like he meant to for the longest time, as if he could no longer help himself.  
   
Jun wondered how long they were waiting.  
   
“I know,” he agreed, pulling Sho’s face down for another kiss, just because he could; he’d given up trying to pretend he didn’t want this, arching into every touch, every press of Sho’s lips against his own.  
   
“I know, god, just…kiss me, please just –“ he groaned, wanting everything at once, and more, touching every bit of Sho he could given the closeness. It wasn’t much but it would have to do, for now.  
   
Sho kissed him back, again, then again, tongue exploring the pockets of his mouth as if Sho was relearning him through this, like he was trying to check if Jun was still the same Jun he loved from years ago. Jun let Sho take his fill of him as he took his own, lips bruised and swollen when Sho finally pulled back just so they could breathe air back into their lungs.  
   
Still, Sho didn’t move far; he kept their foreheads pressed together, breathing each other in as Jun kept his hands around Sho’s waist, feeling the muscles on Sho’s back shift when he moved.  
   
“What were you thinking, shoving her at me like that?” Sho asked, fingering Jun’s lips, the beauty mark above his upper lip. The gesture was so intimately familiar it made his chest swell, his heart ache in the most wonderful way.  
   
“I just. I thought you guys look good together,” he said lamely, though it was the truth. He did think Sho and Mika-chan did look good together, and he still think that even now.  
   
Sho mock-punched him on the chin, then squeezed it afterwards as if to sooth the sting.  
   
“You’re so stupid,” Sho said, without heat, kissing him quick. “You think that just because I have your permission, I’ll go ahead and date her? Seriously?” Sho said, sounding like he’d mostly gotten his confidence back now that he was wrapped around Jun, and vice versa.  
   
“But you didn’t,” Jun said, honestly wondering.  
   
Sho chuckled and stroked his cheek; it was soft and sweet and made him close his eyes to savor the feeling, the moment.  
   
“If you think she’s good enough as a replacement, you’re mistaken,” Sho said, softly, into his cheek; then he leaned up, lips against the shell of Jun’s ear, his breath warm against the sensitive skin.  
   
Jun missed this closeness as much as he missed everything else, his arms tightening around Sho in answer.  
   
“I hoped,” Jun breathed, voice cracking embarrassingly in the middle, “but I didn’t think we would…” he paused, trying to find the right words but couldn’t. “not after the last time, so I thought I could just help you find someone to –“  
   
“I’m sorry if you thought I mean it that way,” Sho said, cutting him off, “because I didn’t. Now I know why you acted as if we were nothing to each other after that night. I thought it was what you wanted, I thought you were just waiting for a reason to dump me so I thought I’ll just give it to you.” Sho said, then paused, touching Jun’s temple.  
   
“But you didn’t – mean  _it,_ did you?”  
   
Jun shook his head, leaning up for another kiss. They have so much to talk about, things to discuss that mostly revolve around the past few months they were apart but Jun was certain it could wait.  
   
For now, he could just bask on the feeling of having Sho close like this again, of the feeling having Sho’s arms around him like this, of Sho’s perfect lips moving against his own.  
   
Those things have waited a few months to be tackled, a few minutes more honestly wouldn’t hurt.  
   
“I love you,” Jun whispered, not bothering waiting for Sho’s reply as he wormed his arms around Sho’s back and tugged him back down, kissing him with all the love he had for Sho.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
 


End file.
